Vial supporting means for spirit levels



April 4 1950 T. F. vAlDA ETAL 2,502,905

VIAL SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SPIRIT LEVELS Filed sept. 11, 1947 IN1/EN ToRs 77/5000/25 /r` VA /04 BY 650965 l/A/DA Patented Apr. 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE VIAL SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SPIRIT LEVELS Theodore F. Vaida and George J. Vaida, High Bridge, N. J.

3 Claims.

This invention relates to spirit levels and more particularly to the vial supporting means that is adapted to be assembled with the body of the level. Preferably the body of the level is of wood in which the grain extends substantially in its longitudinal direction. The vial supporting means that is assembled with the body of the level preferably is of metal.

A principal object of the invention is to provide novel construction of the vial supporting means which will facilitate its assembly in permanent relationship with the body of the level and will, also, prevent displacement of the vial supporting means from its assembled original position.

Another object of this invention is to-provide a vial supporting means that may be conveniently inserted and retained in the body of the level without the necessity for using additional fastening elements and which when assembled will be securely and permanently held in position within said body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple construction for a vial supporting means that may be manufactured quantitatively at low cost.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects and features as may hereinafter appear, this invention consists in the novel, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter to be described and then sought to be defined in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, which shows, merely for the purposes of illustrative disclosure a preferred embodiment of the invention, it being expressly understood, however, that changes may be made in practice within the scope of the claims, without digressing from the inventive idea.

In the drawing wherein similar reference characters denote corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a level with which vial supporting means constituting the invention have been assembled;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view partially broken away illustrating the assembly vof one of the vial supporting means with the body of the level;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical .section taken along line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the novel vial supporting means;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view thereof;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view partially .sectionalized to illustrate structural details;

Fig. '7 is an elevational View of one of the vial holders that is secured to the vial supporting means of Figs. 4, 5 and 6;

Fig. 8 is a similar view partially sectionalized of another one of the vial holders; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the vial holder of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawing, I0 denotes generally a level body preferably of wood in which a plurality of spirit levels I I are supported by the novel vial supporting means embodying the invention. With reference particularly to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the novel vial supporting means comprises generally a tubular member or bushing I2, preferably of metal such as aluminum or the like, and is provided internally with an annular shoulder I3 substantially centralized relative to the length of said bushing, and also with an annular external shoulder l 4 adjacent one end of the bushing. The internal shoulder I3 is provided on both side faces with a plurality of equally spacedapart threaded holes l5, IB, for purposes presently to be described.

A plurality of axially or longitudinally extending substantially V-shaped ribs I'I are formed integrally on the external surface of the body I2 at substantially diametrically opposite points. These ribs I'l are shorter than the length of the bushing I2.

In assembling a level, the wooden body IIJ is provided with a plurality of holes I8 whose diameter is substantially equal to the external diameter of the tubular member I2, the said holes also having a portion ISa of slightly enlarged diameter equal substantially to the external diameter of the annular shoulder Ill. The length of the tubular member I2 is substantially equal to the width of the wooden body I0. The tubular members I2 are forced into the holes I8 with a press iit and with the diametrically arranged ribs I'l centralized with respect to the longitudinal axis of the wooden body Ill, so that when these ribs l'I bite into the wooden body lll, they enter into interstices between the terminal ends of the cut fibers of the wooden body in the hole I8 while said ends engage in. the grooves between the ribs. This insures the-very secure joint between tubular body I2 and the wooden body l0 which will not be displaceable even under severe conditions of use.

If desired, prior to the insertion of the tubular bodies I2 into the holes I8, the body I2 and surfaces defining holes I8 may be coated with an adhesive, such as a resinous bonding material. An example of such material is a, Du Pont adhesive J-58-0027 (4653) and a Du Pont catalyst known as JC-100-X-6858. After the bushing or tubular body I2 has been assembled with the wooden body I0, vial supports 20 bearing vials II are mounted or secured to opposite faces of the internal annular shoulder E3 of the bushing I2 by the use of set screws 24 screwed into respective threaded holes i5, i5.

The supports 20 are of conventional kind consisting generally of semi-circular members 25 having oppositely located holes 26, 2.' in which the vials II are xed by a suitable cementitious material 28. These members 25 have annular laterally extending flanges 29 which are provided with spaced-apart openings 30, 3| spaced similarly to the respective openings I5 and I5 in the annular shoulder I3. The semi-circular portions 25 are adrneasured to t the opening defined by the internal surface of the annular shoulder I3 and the flange 29 is adapted to rest upon one of the faces of said shoulder I3. In mounting these supports one is inserted from one end of body i2 until its flange 29 engages one surface of the shoulder I3 and a second one is inserted from the opposite side of body I2 until its ilange 29 engages the opposite face of the shoulder I3. The angular dispositions of the vials I I are arranged as desired, either lying substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of the body i0, transverse thereto. or at any desired angle therewith and the flanges 29 are then locked in adjusted position by the set screws 24. Thereafter covering plates 32 of transparent material, such as glass or transparent plastic or the like are inserted in opposite ends of bushing I2 to cover the exposed vials il. These plates 32 are secured in place, for example, by split rings 33 of spring steel or the like.

The simplicity and ease of assembly of a wooden level body i0 with the vial supporting means I2 just described is apparent. The longitudinally extending ribs I prevent any possibility of accidental rotation of the bushings I2 by their firm engagement in interstices between the ber ends of the wooden body I0, while the ends extend into the grooves between ribs. It is essential and important that these ribs il be substantially centrally located relative to the longitudinal axis of the wooden body I0. The mounting of the bushing with such ribs I1 displaced 90 from the position described, that is, substantially centralized with respect to a transverse axis of the wooden body would not be satisfactory because in such event the ribs would not engage in interstices between the fiber ends but instead would effect a deformation of fibers which would not be desirable.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described, it is to be understood that variations in structural detail are possible and are contemplated. There is no intention, therefore, of limitation to the exact details shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a wooden body for a spirit level, a tubular vial supporting bushing, said bushing having longitudinal extending ribs at diametrically opposite points and centralized relative to the length of said bushing, and said body having an opening substantially equal in diameter to the external diameter of said bushing, said bushing being inserted into said opening With a press t with the ribs thereof centralized relative to the longitudinal axis of said body so as to engage in nterstices between the ends of Wood bers of said body terminating at said opening, with said ber ends extending into spaces between said ribs.

2. In combination with a wooden body for a spirit level, a tubular supporting bushing having integrally formed longitudinally extending substantially V-shaped ribs at diametrically opposite external points and centralized relative to the length of said bushing, and said bushing being provided with anannular internal shoulder, said body having an opening into which said bushing is inserted with a press fit so that the ribs are centralized relative to the longitudinal axis of said body and engage in interstices between terminal ends of wood fibers of said body at said opening, vial supports adjustably secured to said annular shoulder, vials xed in said supports, transparent covering members for the vials and retaining members for maintaining said covers in position.

3. In combination with a wooden body for a spirit level having its grain extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of said body and a hole extending transversely through the thickness of said body, said hole having a rst portion of larger diameter than a second portion, a tubular metallic vial supporting bushing having an annular external shoulder, said shoulder and the bushing thereon being admeasured to t respectively within the first and second portions of said hole, external longitudinally extending substantially V-shaped ribs on said bushing centralized relative to the length of said bushing and arranged at diametrically opposite points, said bushing being inserted into the said portions of said hole with a press nt and with said ribs engaging in interstices between the ends of bers of the wooden body terminating in said hole with the fiber ends extending into spaces between said ribs, an annular internal shoulder within said bushing intermediate its ends, said internal shoulder having spaced-apart threaded holes, Vial supports and threaded means secured respective of Said supports to said shoulder on opposite side faces of the latter.

THEODORE F. VAIDA.

GEORGE J. VAIDA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 683,033 Frederick Sept. 24, 1901 1,025,086 Harris Apr. 30, 1912 1,205,956 Adkins Nov. 28, 1916 1,359,882 MacDonald Nov. 23, 1920 1,435,365 Ziernann Nov. 14, 1922 2,045,733 Forsberg July 7, 1936 

